Raith Rovers: Paul Hanlon on why the Scottish Premiership should be expanded

Hanlon, 34, who has been impressed by the depth and quality in the Championship since joining Raith from Hibernian on a three-year deal this summer, said: “There's no doubt there's clubs in the Championship that could compete and be an asset to the Premiership. There are clubs that could be a welcome addition but whether that happens I'm not sure.

"I think in the Premiership it can be a bit more cagey and tactical purely because I think you've got bigger clubs like Rangers, Celtic, Hearts and Hibs.

"Whereas in the Championship teams are going toe to toe, they believe they can win every week and they're going for it.

"That's why I watched a lot of the Friday night games last season, they're so exciting to watch because everyone believes they can win.”

Hanlon, part of the Hibernian squad which won the 2016 Scottish Cup – the first time in 114 years that the Easter Road club had been victorious in the competition – was also asked who the best player he’d ever played with was.

He replied: "I’d probably say John McGinn I think. Ability wise that goes without saying in terms of what he’s gone on to do in his career.

"He kind of galvanises everywhere he goes. He was at Hibs and was a fans’ favourite, hero, who really got the crowd going.

"He did the same at Aston Villa, scored goals, got them to the Premier League and he’s a talisman for Scotland.

"For those reasons, he’s the one.”

On Hibs’ Scottish Cup triumph eight years ago, Hanlon added: "Winning the Scottish Cup hadn’t been done for 114 years so to be part of that squad as a Hibs fan, that was the one.

"The fans had just been waiting so long for it, generations of fans, people who had maybe gone to the games with their grandads and maybe they were now a grandad, generations that had never seen it happen.

"I heard some unbelievable stories afterwards. When you bump into fans everyone’s got their own story about it.

"That was incredible.”